Surprise Success for 'The Five' on Fox News

At New York Times, "In Beck’s Shadow, Rise of ‘The Five’."

Favorite Ads of 2011

And not so favorite, at New York Times, "Reliving the Best (and Worst) Ads of 2011."

Planet of the Apes Marathon!

HBO Family Channel is showing some of the original "Planet of the Apes" films this month. I watched the first three films yesterday: "The Planet of the Apes," "Beneath the Planet of the Apes," and "Escape from the Planet of the Apes."

It was good. I'm sure feminist heads explode at Nova, the beautiful primitive woman who's a love interest for Charlton Heston.

Sir Lord Thomas has a Rule 5 roundup of Nova photos: "OH NOVA!!!"

Number of Television Owners Declines for First Time in 20 Years

At the Kansas City Star, "For first time in 20 years, TV ownership declines."

I was working on this post while listening to the MSNBC live-feed of Herman Cain's campaign announcement. And just the other day I was thinking that I no longer head straight for the TV when I get home. I can watch news online while blogging. The Star reports on Nielson data tracking the shifts in television ownership and emerging technologies. Live-streaming shows from the web would seem to be an important alternative to the television news, but DVRs and HDTV are the fastest growing technologies, which are tied to the classic television-monitor format. I'm just online all the time so that's my main source of news and information --- which, in the case of Herman Cain's departure, was delivered in real time.

Victoria's Secret Bombshell Babes Boost CBS Ratings

A wrap-up on Tuesday night's show, at Los Angeles Times, "'Victoria's Secret Fashion Show' shows ratings legs for CBS":

The models may have cavorted on the runway in little wisps of things, but the ratings were fully dressed.

CBS defied the skeptics once again Tuesday night and turned "The Victoria's Secret Fashion Show" into a ratings winner.

The lingerie extravaganza stripped down before 10.3 million total viewers, up 15% compared with last year's show, according to Nielsen.

Among the adults aged 18 to 49 demographic coveted by advertisers, "Victoria's Secret" climbed a big 35%.

Cowboys Cheerleader Melissa Kellerman Twitter Controversy

There's an NFL video here, in case this YouTube gets pulled: "Cowboys cheerleader knocked over by Witten forced off Twitter."

And full details at The Blaze, "TACKLED DALLAS COWBOYS CHEERLEADER FORCED OFF TWITTER?"

Reports: 'Twilight: Breaking Dawn' Causing Seizures Among Moviegoers

At New York Times, "Did You Need Us to Tell You That ‘Twilight’ Could Cause Seizures?":

Setting foot into a screening of “The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 1,” the latest installment in the hit film series about the romance between a mortal girl and a sparkly vampire boy, may induced an unexpected kind of overstimulation: a few viewers say they have experienced epileptic seizures that, The Guardian reports, could be a result of rapidly changing colors in the film’s climactic childbirth scene.

Brandon Gephart of Roseville, Calif., who attended a showing of “Breaking Dawn” with his girlfriend, Kelly Bauman, was taken to a hospital following the scene in which the newlywed Bella (played by Kristen Stewart) delivers the daughter of her vampire husband, Edward (Robert Pattinson), as red, white and black strobes flash on the screen. “He was convulsing, snorting, trying to breathe,” Ms. Bauman told the Sacramento affiliate of CBS News.

Dr. Michael G. Chez, a pediatric neurologist, said the incident might have been a result of a genetic predisposition to photosensitive epilepsy. “It’s like a light switch going off, because it hits your brain all at once,” he told CBS. “The trouble with theaters, it’s dark, the lights flashing in there is more like a strobe light.”

Wow! Blake Lively Looks Fabulous at 'Gossip Girl' 100th Episode Party

At London's Daily Mail, "Thank goodness for the tassels! Blake Lively steps out in daring sheer dress joining Gossip Girl co-stars to celebrate 100th episode."

Sheriff Reopens Natalie Wood Case: Actress Drowned Near Catalina Island in 1981

At Los Angeles Times, "Sheriff reopens case of actress Natalie Wood's mysterious death," and "Natalie Wood: Detectives will interview captain as a first step."

And CNN has a bizarre interview with boat captain Dennis Davern, "New details in Natalie Wood's death."

Photo Credit: Wikimedia.